Ambassadors: Vetting Process

Lord Bellingham Excerpts

Tuesday 10th February 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I am very much in favour of parliamentary oversight, but I think the scale of that undertaking needs to be properly understood by any parliamentary body that may wish to undertake such a thing. I have not heard anybody say that all our ambassadorial appointments should be subject to such a process; I think I would need some persuading.

[Lord Bellingham (Con)]

My Lords, can I just ask the Minister to clarify a point? She mentioned that Lord Mandelson went through the due diligence. She then said—I think I heard her right—that he was appointed and then the developed vetting took place after that. Why was that the case?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I think what I said—I hope it is what I said; if it is not, I will clarify it—was that it was an announcement. The changes announced yesterday by the Cabinet Office were around making sure that that does not happen in future. Although it does not affect the vetting in substance, clearly it creates a perception and there is a risk there. We wanted to remove that, so we have announced that already. When there are further changes, which almost inevitably will arise as a result of the reviews that are being undertaken, there will be subsequent changes as well.